A lock used for securing various members to one another serves several purposes. The lock will allow the connection of the members to be hidden behind the exteriors of the connected members, giving the connection a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. The hidden lock will also allow a quicker, less cumbersome connection, while at the same time form a stable connection. One illustrative application of this hidden lock is to secure a fence rail and fence post to one another.
Several methods for connecting fence rails to fence posts for purposes of constructing a fence currently exist. One method is welding a fence rail and a fence post together. Another is by connecting a bracket to the fence rail and fence post.
One embodiment of the present invention is a hidden lock formed of plastic. The hidden lock allows a fence rail to be connected to a fence post. The design of the hidden lock allows it to fit into a fence rail designed to receive the hidden lock. In this embodiment, the hidden lock has a rectangular cross-section allowing it to fit into a similarly-shaped fence rail. However, alternative embodiments of the hidden lock may exist to accommodate other fence rail shapes, such as cylindrical, for example. This embodiment of a hidden lock has a feature to connect the hidden lock to the fence rail. This embodiment also has a feature which connects a generally horizontal fence rail to a generally vertical fence post. The fence post has an opening through which a portion of the fence rail may be inserted along with the hidden lock. This embodiment allows the hidden lock to then connect the fence rail and fence post together.
Another embodiment of a hidden lock comprises a first and second groove, allowing the hidden lock to fit inside a fence rail having ridges to fit in the grooves of the hidden lock. This embodiment further comprises a ridge on the end of the hidden lock extending at least to the periphery of the first fence rail, allowing the hidden lock to be received by the fence rail until the ridge is immediately adjacent the end of the fence rail. The hidden lock also has a tab capable of being displaced when the hidden lock is inserted into a fence rail. The tab moves back into its original position when the hidden lock moves into a position within the fence rail allowing the tab to move through an opening located through the fence rail.
The hidden lock of this embodiment also has a wedge, which can be displaced and which is exposed with the hidden lock inside of the fence rail. A generally horizontal fence rail portion is then inserted into a generally vertical fence post having an opening to receive the fence rail portion and the hidden lock, with the size of the opening such that the wedge is displaced. When the fence rail portion and hidden lock are inside the fence post allowing the wedge to move back into its original position, the wedge end is then in a position such that the fence rail portion and the hidden lock cannot be displaced in the opposite direction of insertion without the wedge being displaced such that the wedge end no longer obstructs the fence rail portion and hidden lock from being removed from the fence post.
Additional embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention.